Indigenous Knowledge Systems in African Societies

Syllabus tag: Kenya CBC | Grade 9 Social Studies | Strand 3.0 People and Relationships | Sub-Strand 3.2 Indigenous Knowledge Systems in African Societies (8 Lessons)

Lesson objectives

By the end of this sub-strand, you should be able to:

• Identify types of indigenous knowledge in African societies.
• Explain how indigenous knowledge is acquired and transmitted.
• Describe how indigenous knowledge influences modern society.
• Appreciate the value of preserving indigenous knowledge.

Summary

Indigenous knowledge is the understanding a community has built up over generations from living in a particular place. It covers agriculture, medicine, weather prediction, food preservation, construction, governance and conservation. It is practical rather than theoretical, tested by long use rather than by experiment, and passed on orally and by demonstration rather than in writing. Much of it remains useful, and some of it is being lost as older generations die without transmitting it.